Abstract

To the editor: It appears that a prankster has inserted the final paragraph into the report of an interesting and well-done study, "Cutaneous Abscesses. Anaerobic and Aerobic Bacteriology and Outpatient Management" (Ann Intern Med 87:145-149, 1977).

The authors' conclusion, "This study shows that incision and drainage alone should suffice in the treatment of localized cutaneous abscesses in patients with presumably normal host defenses. Thus, there is no indication for initial Gram-stain, culture, or antibiotic therapy for these patients," has no supporting data presented anywhere in the article. In fact, no data on use of antibiotic therapy compared with the outcome